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Krista Rogers

Starting with a love of J-Pop and J-dramas when she was 13, Krista Rogers has left her quiet New England hometown in the States both to study abroad in Tokyo and to work on the JET Program in beautiful Yamagata prefecture. She misses chatting in the local dialect and staging Kamehameha battles in the hallway with her students. Although she's currently working on her master's degree in Boston, she will without a doubt be back in Japan before long and buying way too much at Book-Off and Tower Records again. When she needs a break from schoolwork, Krista enjoys eating yakiniku, figure skating, finding cute cafes, watching Big Bang MVs, and continuing on her quest to catch 'em all.

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Posted by Krista Rogers (Page 59)

New light-emitting, color-changing “hikaru skirt” illuminates your legs for the world to see

Krista Rogers
Jan 19, 2015
Tweet

Let’s begin with a bit of linguistic trivia: How many of you know that Japanese has an expression for the area of exposed skin between the top of knee-high socks and the hemline of a skirt? No, this is not a joke, people–the actual term is 絶対領域 (zettai ryouiki), which literally means “absolute territory,” but I’m sure some of you already knew that.

If you didn’t, now is as good a time as ever to add that phrase to your mental lexicon, with LED light-emitting skirts about to enter the world of fashion and all!

Japan
(fashion • HIKARU SKIRT • LED • lights)

“Live2D Euclid” technology creates 3-D models while retaining the essence of a 2-D drawing

Krista Rogers
Jan 15, 2015

What happens when you take the merits of both 2-D and 3-D animation and combine them to make a new hybrid form of animation technology? Unfathomable as it may seem, that’s precisely the type of technology that Japanese company Live2D is in the midst of developing. Their latest achievement, known as “Live2D Euclid,” is software that is able to transform your 2-D drawings into a 3-D reality while still retaining the look and details of a pen and paper illustration. In other words, it looks like “a hand-drawn picture that will move in the way you want it to.”

Still confused? Check out the introductory video after the jump to see this new technology that is revolutionizing the way we animate characters in anime and video games!

Japan
(2D • 3D • CGI • Live2D Euclid • modeling • technology)

Japanese Twitter trend of the week: Outfitting your cat with a regal boot-cover mane

Krista Rogers
Jan 13, 2015

What could be a better way to stave off boredom the cold than by dressing your kitty up with a regal lion-like mane?

That’s exactly how Japanese Twitter users have been entertaining themselves this past week–only the “mane” is actually made from the fluffy material of a boot covering purchased at one of Japan’s favorite 100 yen stores, Daiso. Whether the cats themselves are amused or not is a different story…

Japan
(boots cover • cat • Daiso • fashion • LION • mane • twitter)

Track the stylistic evolution of Eiichiro Oda’s most famous One Piece characters

Krista Rogers
Jan 12, 2015

It’s hard to believe that One Piece, Japan’s best-selling manga series in history, will be celebrating its 18th anniversary this July. With 76 collected volumes of manga, a mega-popular anime television adaptation, an upcoming theme park, and hordes of international fans, the series is stronger than ever after almost two decades.

A recent post by a Japanese internet forum user showed the evolution of series’ creator Eiichiro Oda’s artwork by comparing older pictures of the Straw Hat Pirates with more recent ones side-by-side. While most of the changes are fairly subtle, the slight differences were still enough to spark an online debate about which of the two drawing styles is better. Which is your personal preference?

Japan
(artwork • Eiichiro Oda • manga • One Piece • straw hat pirates)

Help our writer figure out how to wear the mysterious clothing item in her Muji Lucky Bag

Krista Rogers
Jan 6, 2015

Remember the Muji Fortune Can that we featured a few days ago from our favorite minimalist home goods store, Muji? Following that welcome discovery, our Japanese reporter also managed to get her hands on both a Muji Women’s Clothing Lucky Bag and a Muji Health & Beauty Lucky Bag.

Although she was content with most of the surprises, there was one clothing item in particular that stumped her–can anyone give her a few tips on how best to wear it? Don’t miss her mini fashion show after the jump!

Japan
(2015 • clothes • fukubukuro • lucky bag • muji)

Itadakimasu! A brief history of the evolution of Japanese school lunches

Krista Rogers
Jan 6, 2015

In the 22nd year of the Meiji era (aka 1889), the very first Japanese kyūshoku (school lunch) was served up at an elementary school in Tsuruoka City, Yamagata Prefecture. Although the first menu was very simply prepared, it provided the growing children with an important source of nourishment that not all of them could receive at home.

Fast-forward to 2015–Japanese schoolchildren (and their teachers!) continue to eat school lunches every day, as opposed to children in many other countries who bring their lunches from home. If you’re working in a Japanese school, you should already be familiar with the daily feeling of either excitement or disappointment when you see the lunch menu for the day. But just consider this–would you rather eat the types of lunches served today, or those that were served 100 years ago? Read on to learn about the evolution of Japanese school lunches and decide for yourself!

Japan
(Heisei • history • Kyuushoku • Meiji • school lunch • Showa • Taisho)

DIY hydrogen bath kits all the rage in Japan, our reporter unleashes the bubbles for himself

Krista Rogers
Jan 6, 2015

Morians Kiodo, a firm based in Iruma City, Saitama Prefecture, is known for developing a new kind of heat pack that is powerful enough to heat food without having to use a flame. It’s certainly a welcome invention for both outdoor adventurer types and people who happen to be experiencing power outages.

Now, the same company has utilized their technological prowess to create user-friendly hydrogen gas-emitting bath kits, which can be easily administered in the comfort of your own home. So easy, in fact, that our ace Japanese reporter Yoshio decided to–wait for it–test out the water for himself!

Japan
(at home • bath • health • hydrogen • kit)

“Why, Japanese people!?” American dude has us rolling on the floor laughing with his comedic sketch

Krista Rogers
Jan 6, 2015

He’s lived in Japan for four years but has only been an entertainer for two months. Even so, this guy already has Japanese celebrities roaring with laughter.

Meet Atsugiri Jason (厚切りジェイソン), whose stage name translates to something like “Thickly-sliced Jason.” This up-and-coming comedic genius was recently featured on a Japanese TV New Year’s special, where he performed a short sketch entirely in Japanese which proved to be so popular that the internet is already buzzing about him making his big break this year.

Anyone who has ever struggled with learning kanji is sure to appreciate this video. Check out his comedy sketch after the jump!

Japan, USA
(#whyjapanesepeople • Atsugiri Jason • comedy • funny • kanji)

Yoshio discovers that lucky bag loot from a UFO catcher is spectacularly underwhelming

Krista Rogers
Jan 5, 2015

While our RocketNews24 Japanese team of writers has been having fun snatching up a variety of lucky bags during this first week of the new year, the contents of those bags have ranged from exciting to just plain meh. But the two lucky bags our Japanese correspondent Yoshio grabbed from UFO catchers (aka claw machines) have hit a new all-time low. We don’t think he’ll be going back for more next year…

Japan
(2015 • fukubukuro • lucky bag • UFO catcher)

Mr. Sato divulges the contents of a 2015 Apple Store Lucky Bag–will he get a lame t-shirt again?

Krista Rogers
Jan 5, 2015

Following his tradition of the past few years, RocketNews24’s ace reporter and calendar model Mr. Sato dutifully lined up outside the Apple Store in Tokyo’s Shibuya neighborhood to wait for the January 2 release of the its 2015 lucky bag (luckily, his experience waiting outside wasn’t nearly as traumatic as the poor folks’ up in Sapporo). Although he was hoping to score a MacBook Air for the second year running, this year our man had his eye on another item as well–the Apple Store lucky bag-exclusive t-shirt.

Will Mr. Sato find the coveted t-shirt in his bag again this year? See his haul after the jump!

Japan
(2015 • Apple • Apple Store • fukubukuro • lucky bag • Mr. Sato • store)

Photos of people lining up outside of the Sapporo Apple Store make us feel positively frozen

Krista Rogers
Jan 5, 2015

We thought people were dedicated when they lined up in droves to wait for the release of the iPhone 6 earlier this year, but that’s nothing compared to what these people had to endure while waiting for New Year’s lucky bags outside of the Apple Store in Sapporo, Japan!

Would you wait outside in the freezing cold for over a day and risk catching pneumonia in order to score some spiffy Apple products?

Japan
(Apple Store • cold • lucky bag • Sapporo • snow)

Chinese commenter equates recent anime with fast food–What do you think?

Krista Rogers
Jan 2, 2015

How do you feel about the state of anime nowadays?

That question is likely to draw some strong opinions from our readers. There’s no question that the past few years have produced a number of works critically acclaimed for their innovative plots and characters. But then there are some series that have built up huge fanbases for their…wait, why was that again? As one Chinese anime fan so eloquently put it, it’s almost as if these “mass-produced series” are on par with fast food…

China, Japan
(anime • boring • fast food • opinion • quality)

Prepare yourself for the fundoshi-clad men of the upcoming 2015 RocketNews24 calendar!

Krista Rogers
Dec 31, 2014

Boy, have we ever got a treat coming up for all of you loyal Rocketeers!

To help ring in the new year, our staff is busy putting the finishing touches on a 2015 calendar featuring the classy men of our sister site, the Japanese language edition of RocketNews24. Not wanting to be outdone by all the other “eye candy calendars” out there, our team of Japanese writers have truly gone all out to show their appreciation for all the love and support they’ve received from our readers over the past year.

Get ready to feast your eyes on a sneak preview of what’s about to become the sexiest 2015 calendar ever to grace the internet!

Japan
(2015 • calendar • fundoshi • Mr. Sato • RocketNews24)

Japanese scientists debunk popular belief about the “old-person smell”

Krista Rogers
Dec 30, 2014

What do you dread the most about growing old? Is it the aching muscles after what used to be an easy exercise routine? The need to get up and pee multiple times during the night? Or how about that distinctive “old-person smell” that sneaks into the air whenever a senior citizen is around?

Speaking of that last one, have you ever wondered where that particular odor comes from? Although many people believe that the source of the smell is behind the ears, a team of Japanese researchers have recently disproved this theory after what must have been an excruciatingly odoriferous ordeal. You might want to plug your nose for this one, folks–things are about to smell more than a little fishy around here…

Global, Japan
(body odor • elderly • men • middle-aged • smelly)

Taiwanese subway debuts second anime mascot, net users experience moe overload

Krista Rogers
Dec 20, 2014

Remember Xiao Qiong, the Taiwanese anime subway mascot we introduced you to last month? If you thought she was cute, just wait till you check out her new partner in crime who takes the moe madness to dangerous new levels.

We’re proud to present the second mascot character of Taiwan’s Kaohsiung Mass Rapid Transit System (高雄捷運, or KMRT for short). Everyone, say hi to the blonde bombshell Emilia!

Taiwan
(Emilia • KMRT • moe • Subway • Taiwan)

CosBox: A rentable room in Tokyo for creating cosplay masterpieces

Krista Rogers
Dec 18, 2014

Just the other day, we brought you news of HACOSTADIUM, a photography studio equipped with over 40 backdrops to create all of your dream cosplay scenarios. But let’s take one step back now–just where are you supposed to design those fabulous costumes in the first place?

Introducing CosBox (コスバコ), a rentable room outfitted with all of your costume-making needs. It just opened this month in the Akihabara district of Tokyo, and its managers are offering some serious opening month deals. Whether you’re a diehard cosplay fanatic or are just breaking into the hobby, CosBox may be the perfect place to prepare for your next big convention!

Japan
(Akihabara • CosBox • cosplay • costumes • sewing)

Yo-Kai Watch 2 continues to dominate video game sales in Japan

Krista Rogers
Dec 17, 2014

On December 13, the third edition of the mega-popular Yo-Kai Watch 2 Nintendo 3DS game, subtitled Shin’uchi [真打], was finally released in Japan. The franchise has gained so much popularity that people have even taken to calling it “Pokémon for the newest generation.”

As you can probably imagine if you’ve been keeping up with our site, a frenzy of people rushed to buy the new game both in stores and online. But even we couldn’t prepare ourselves for the actual numbers–just wait till you read how many units of the game have sold so far!

Japan
(level 5 • Nintendo 3DS • sales • Shin'uchi • Yo-Kai Watch 2)

Universal Studios Japan reveals details of upcoming Attack on Titan attraction

Krista Rogers
Dec 15, 2014

Universal Studios Japan is about to be hit by an enemy of titanic proportions!

The popular theme park located in Osaka has finally revealed details regarding one of their most anticipated attractions ever, set to be open to the public from January 23 till May 10 of next year. Feast your eyes on all of the epicness that awaits in Attack on Titan: THE REAL!

Japan
(Attack on Titan • Attack on Titan: The Real • attractions • Universal Cool Japan • Universal Studios Japan)

Hyogo town scares children away with mechanical kappa in park’s pond

Krista Rogers
Dec 12, 2014

The town of Fukusaki in Hyogo Prefecture has taken a rather unusual direction when it comes to public art. Namely, the town spent roughly 3 million yen (US$25,000) to install a red, mechanical kappa in the small pond at Tsujikawayama Park (辻川山公園). The strange fixture has become a local attraction, and is scary-looking enough to make children cry!

Just what could have driven the town to install such a creepy mechanical model?

Japan
(Hyogo • kappa • mechanical • park • scary)

Japanese net user shares clever idea for a (not so easy) DIY doghouse

Krista Rogers
Dec 9, 2014

With the holidays swiftly approaching, what better time is there to pamper your pet pooch with a brand new doggie house? While store-bought dog houses may leave you strapped for cash, thanks to a tip from one Japanese forum user, now anyone can build their own doghouse using ordinary household items.

A quick word of caution before you begin–you may want to measure your dog beforehand, unless you want to wind up like the poor pooch in the following pictures!